PhD Program - General Information
General Rules
The academic and research activity of each PhD student is monitored by the Faculty Members of the designated Sector incharge of each Ph.D program. The members are communicated to the Director of SISSA by the head of the PhD program at the beginning of each academic year. Students entering this PhD program will be assigned a scientific project and will follow directions from a supervisor. Each scientific project is expected to be feasible within three or four years. SISSA is expected to provide the appropriate scientific environment in terms of space, facilities and scientific supervision. Students will receive the present document at the beginning of their PhD.
Admission to the first year
Admission to the first year takes place through a selection examination evaluated (see Enterance Exam ). Non-EU students unable to attend the admission exam can be evaluated by means of a Spring Pre-selection based on academic and scientific qualifications (see Preselection Application for Non European Candidates ). The Admissions Committee for the entrance examination must be composed of at least three members: two Faculty Members (including the head of the PhD program) one member from another institution (the external committee member).
Courses
The teaching activity of the PhD program is organized into courses and seminars held by internal and external lecturers. All the students admitted to the PhD program follow general courses that are common to their curricula. Topical courses specific to each curriculum are also organized. The number of curricula that can be followed and their topics depend specifically on each Sector.
Supervisor
Each student, according to the curriculum that he/she has chosen, starts a research project under the supervision of a Faculty Member. The designated supervisor must be approved by the Council of the Sector the student has joined. The supervisor may request that a student carries out part of his/her research in another institute, and/or under the joint supervision of a researcher not belonging to the Faculty. Besides the scientific supervisor, each student may have up to two tutors, which will help him/her in case of possible problems either scientific or related to everyday life at SISSA.
